New Delhi: The All-India Muslim Personal Board Personal Law Board is likely to file a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, reports said. However, Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board has indicated that it has no plans to challenge the historic order.
In a unanimous verdict, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had on Saturday paved way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya and directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot elsewhere for building a mosque.
The options available before those who oppose the verdict are review petitions and if that too fails, they may submit a correction petition, a writ plea. (Article 137 of the Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to review its own judgments subject to the provisions of any law made by the Parliament or rules under Article 145.)
Generally, the same bench that pronounced the verdict would consider the review petition as well. As Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi would retire on November 17, in case a review petition is filed, it would be considered by another justice. The same situation has arisen in the case of women's entry at Sabarimala. Late last year, a five-judge bench led by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra had allowed women of all age groups to enter the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala. However, Misra soon retired and the review petition was taken up by another bench and the verdict, which has been reserved, is likely to be pronounced in the coming week.
Review petitions are generally considered by the judges in a closed chamber. However, sometimes the court agrees to demands to consider the petition in open court. Here also, the Sabarimala women's entry case proves to be an example. The review petition was considered in the open court.
